Virtual Valor
by Northwest Sage
Summary: G1: Brawn and Warpath come to blows, and to resolve their issues a war-games challenge is announced with each 'bot leading a team against the other. Also appearing: The Predacons...
1. Chapter 1

Virtual Valor, All Are Not Created Equal

VIRTUAL VALOR

**Chapter 1**

It was, according to Spike Witwicky, a perfect summer day. Clear blue sky overhead, an ever-so-slight breeze, and a roaring sun bathing the land below in its warmth. The last several days had been unusually quiet when it came to Decepticon activity. A sense of concern filled most of the Autobot ranks, as they both quietly and verbally wondered what their sworn enemies were up to. But some of the Autobots saw the break in action as a chance to unwind and partake in some leisure activities. Bumblebee, perhaps the greatest espionage agent ever to wear the Autobot insignia, had left the confines of the Ark along with Spike and Carly. Spike was Bumblebee's human best friend, while Carly was the apple of Spike's eye. They had talked him into taking them to a nearby swimming hole. Others chose to remain at the Ark and practice their marksmanship.

"You'll never make it," the pessimistic Gears stated. He and a handful of other mini-bots had gathered around to watch Brawn and Warpath show each other up. Brawn steadied his hand and took aim at the makeshift target several meters in front of him. "You're looking too high, lower your arch," Gears finished.

Brawn tried hard to ignore the distraction, and refused to reply. A few seconds later, Brawn pulled the trigger on his weapon. The laser soared several inches above its hoped destination and took out a small chunk of rock from the hill behind it. "Told ya' you'd never make it," Gears sighed. "Nobody listens to me."

The burly Autobot lowered his weapon in self-disgust and turned towards his heckler. "Slag it, Gears! Be quiet!"

Warpath playfully shoved Brawn aside and prepared to take his own shot. "Watch and learn," he boated. A couple of the onlookers, namely Cliffjumper and Bluestreak- a fierce Autobot warrior and legendary gunner respectively- lost interest in the contest and set off to find something else to occupy their time.

Warpath zeroed in on the target and managed to gain a direct hit. "Blam!" he shouted. "Bullseye!" The crowd of viewers offered a polite round of applause, earning them a stern look from Brawn. He shook his head and threw up his arms. "What's wrong, Brawn?" Warpath chuckled. "Can't accept the fact I'm better than you?"

Brawn scoffed at such an absurd statement. "So you know how to fire a gun, so what?" _It's not a 'gun', it's a tank barrel, Warpath thought defensively._Brawn could hear whispers from the gathered Autobots, and quickly thought of a new challenge to save him from losing any more stature among his peers. "What matters most is ones toughness, ones strength." He spotted an old, broken down shuttlecraft and made his way towards it. Feeling the optics of everyone there following his steps, he put on an incredible display of power and lifted the shuttle high into the air. Using only one arm, he smiled as he effortlessly held the object over his head. Pausing for dramatic effect, he let the shuttle crash to the ground and called out to Warpath. "Try this one, dirt-hugger!"

Warpath stood in awe of Brawn's tremendous power, knowing he couldn't match the feat. Never one to refuse a challenge, however, he confidently made his way towards the shuttle. His body grew tense in anticipation of the strain about to overtake his circuits. As the onlookers watched in silence, he placed his hands on the object and got a solid grip. Letting out a ferocious groan, he managed to lift the shuttle, with both hands, to his chest. Despite giving it everything he had, the object refused to go any higher. Fearing damage to his personal integrity, Warpath let the item drop to the ground with a thunderous crash. "Big deal," Warpath retaliated. "That doesn't prove a thing!"

Now it was Brawn's turn to take a playful jab at his fellow mini-bot. "Actually," Brawn smiled, "It proves you're weak!" His optics scanned the audience around him, noticing several half-smirks and a couple full-blown grins. "Weak, weak, and weak."

Warpath was put in a position to defend his honor, so he called upon what was left of his ego and stepped directly in front of his tormentor. "I'd rather be weak," he stated proudly, "than blind!" A collective chorus of "ooh's" and "ahh's" escaped from the bystanders.

Brawn, not one to control his impulses, shoved Warpath back several steps and said nothing. The light-hearted mood was quickly changing. Warpath, both shocked and enraged, returned the gesture. Brawn staggered much less than Warpath, but the point had been made. This contest had gotten out of hand.

"You pushed me!" Brawn roared.

"You pushed me first!" Warpath responded.

Brawn paused and thought of a quick insult. He decided upon "Poor sport!" and added another shove for the exclamation point. Warpath did the same, a name and then a shove. It went back and forth for several seconds.

"Brute!" Warpath shouted.

"Waste of energon!" Brawn responded.

"Fuel-guzzler!" bellowed Warpath.

"Slag for brains!" Brawn retaliated.

"Gobot!" Warpath smiled. Checkmate.

The last one struck a nerve with Brawn. "That does it," he snapped. He burst forward violently and grabbed Warpath by the throat. "You're scrap!"

A gruff, familiar voice called out from a short distance away. "Stand down!" Neither Warpath nor Brawn reacted, forcing Ironhide to get involved physically. "Something wrong with your audio receptors?" he asked, pulling the two apart. "I said stand down!"

The Autobot security officer turned his gaze towards the crowd of observers. "All right, everyone beat it!" Seeing them begin to disperse, he returned his attention to the culprits. "You two- Jazz's office- five minutes." Warpath and Brawn, seemingly returning to their more reasonable selves, looked at each other with a puzzled expression.

"Jazz?" Brawn asked. "Where's Prime?"

Ironhide didn't appreciate being questioned, and his tone reflected his aggravation.  
"On a mission!" he answered. "Jazz's office- five minutes," Ironhide repeated. "Move!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Jazz was one of Optimus Prime's most trusted and loyal soldiers. Although his primary purpose within the Autobot ranks was overseeing various Special Operations, he performed a wide scope of duties. Fearless fighter... ambassador... mentor... and in Prime's absence, acting commander. Jazz was a fun-loving bot, one that aspired to fit in despite the locale of the locals. His tenure in the Autobots had been one that was greatly admired. Had he not showed hesitation when it came to handing out discipline, Jazz could have received command of his own Autobot squad. But he enjoyed being everyone's friend, and would rather serve alongside his comrades than in front of them.

Warpath and Brawn entered the room through its sliding door, and waited for what was to come. It wasn't the reprimand that worried them. They both knew Jazz wasn't hip to that type of thing. What they were curious about was how Jazz would handle their gripe. He was fond, to use a human term, of making 'bots hug and make up. Never that directly, mind you, but that's the gist of it.

"What's the deal, you two?" Jazz asked. "Ironhide said you guys were going at it, and it would've gotten ugly if he hadn't stepped in." He paused and examined their facial expressions. They were obviously sorry for their actions, which pleased the laid back officer. "What caused it?" You guys stressed out? Bored?"

Brawn spoke up. "It was just a little competition, Jazz. That's all." He silently prayed they would be spared any embarrassing emotional torture.

"That's all, huh?"

"Yeah," Warpath agreed. "We just got a little carried away."

Jazz had heard all he needed, and felt the situation had been resolved. They realized they had acted like Decepticons, and regretted it. Case-closed. In another second, he was prepared to dismiss them and forget the whole thing. Then, they started back up.

"_We?_" Brawn asked, snapping his head in Warpath's direction. "_You_ started it all by running your mouth!"

Warpath raised his left arm and pointed a finger towards Brawn. "And you resorted to violence! The other minibots are right, you ARE a tin-plated bully!"

Aware that he was becoming the third man out, Jazz slapped his palm down hard across the top of his desk. The sudden noise put an end to their bickering before it could escalate. "Seems you two have some issue with each other," Jazz stated, with a slight hint of a smile on his face. "I don't think my usual recommendations will do at this point." Hearing that, both Brawn and Warpath let out a sigh of relief. There would be no 'holding-hands' therapy. "No," Jazz continued. "You guys need to relieve all this frustration and anger in a manner more suited to your personalities, before your attitudes become a liability to yourselves and to others."

"So," Brawn asked, "You're going to let us rumble?"

"In a way," Jazz answered. "Wheeljack and Hoist have just completed a combat simulation program. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were going to test it out, but I think I'll bump them and let you two go at it instead."

Warpath cocked his head in a curious manner. "Simulation?"

"I'll let Wheeljack and Hoist go over the details," Jazz said. "I'm still not too sure on how the thing works myself."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Walking together and without saying a word to each other, Brawn and Warpath strolled towards Wheeljack's laboratory. En route to their destination, several of the previous onlookers tossed random comments at them. Most were positive; a few were somewhat less than flattering. Four were extremely vocal in their taunts.

Hubcap and Windcharger expressed their support for Brawn. At the same time, Powerglide and Tailgate showed their loyalty lay with Warpath. As had happened before, with the excitement being raised by outsiders, punches were about to be thrown.

And, as had happened earlier in the day, it was the veteran Ironhide who came upon the situation. "Seems you two have gain a following," he said, looking disapprovingly at the added faces. "What did Jazz say to you?"

Warpath answered. "He told me and Brawn to try out the new combat simulator."

Ironhide was pleasantly surprised. He was well aware of Jazz's nature, and was impressed the acting commander had ordered a more masculine solution. "Good," he smiled. "Your buddies can join you."

Windcharger raised an arm in protest. "Now hold on a minute!"

"Three-on-three," Ironhide barked. "You may continue on your way." He let out a small chuckle as he watched the six of them walk away, complaints and grumbling in full effect.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Hoist, a master of keeping things working as they should, was a firm believer in the Autobots mission to vanquish any and all Decepticon threats. He was seemingly always in an upbeat mood, which the majority of his fellow Autobots greatly appreciated. In fact, he was just as content performing regular maintenance as he would be undertaking some mission engineering or construction project. The green and yellow-tinted soldier had struck up a close friendship with chief engineer Wheeljack. Their love of gadgets and how they functioned formed a strong bond between them.

The six mini-bots arrived at the entrance for Wheeljack's laboratory and walked inside. They saw Hoist in the far corner with his back turned towards them, no doubt tinkering with some recent invention. But Wheeljack was nowhere to be found. "Where's your running mate?" Brawn asked.

Unprepared for visitors, Hoist flinched slightly and turned around. "You startled me," he stated, laying a type of laser scalpel down and freeing up his hands. "If by 'running-mate' you mean Wheeljack, he's not here." Hoist tilted his head and continued. "I'm not sure where he is, to tell you the truth. What do you need?"

"Well," Hubcap started to explain. "We've been ordered to participate in the combat simulator."

"Really?" Hoist asked surprised. "But I thought Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were going to try it out."

"They were," Hubcap answered back, casting a somewhat annoyed look at Brawn and Warpath. Never mind the fact that he had added to the drama by choosing sides; in his mind this was all the fault of the instigators.

"Jazz wants us to play a little three-on-three," Warpath added. "He wants us to work off some of our built up hostility."

"Oh," Hoist said. "Follow me," he instructed, leading the troops out of the laboratory and down a different corridor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After walking through four sections, the group found themselves standing in front of a new-looking door. It's newness apparent from the near blinding shine and absence of even the slightest dent. Windcharger surveyed the surrounding area and discovered it looked familiar. "Hold on, Hoist," he called out, as their escort entered in a sequence of numbers to open the entrance. "Isn't this a storage room?"

The final number was entered and a click was heard from within the door. It slowly began to slide open. "It used to be," Hoist answered. "Not anymore." Located in the room, instead of spare parts and broken machinery, was a glorious display of circuitry and control panels. Twenty seats, to be used in future, larger simulations, lined the far wall. Each seat had a type of metallic halo device resting on a small shelf just a few feet above the top of each chair. These would be placed on the head of each participant and relay the simulation program directly to their logic center.

Two monitoring circuits would be placed on each arm magnetically, four in total, and the information collected would be displayed on a small viewscreen directly to the right of each participant. This would enable whoever was overseeing the exercise to keep an eye on their overall condition.

"Looks impressive," Powerglide complimented. "Not was impressive as me in the air kicking Decepticon tail... but it's close." His playful ego was one of the worst kept secrets in the history of the Great War. He and his team leader, Warpath, were two of the most combat-driven Autobots around; both extremely confident in their abilities. Tailgate, the third member of the three-bot squad, was cut from a different mold. The incredibly sensitive scout packed more heart than heat, but his bravery was just as solid as that of the others.

Sadly, however, the countless years of war had taken a toll on Tailgate's perception of things. He views all beings, both sentient and non-sentient, worth of aid and is quick to speak words on their behalf. His crusade of two years prior in the name of the clearance-sale microwaves located at Charlie's Appliances still drew laughter from some of the older guard. Still, his heart, as the humans say, was in the right place.

The team of Brawn, Windcharger, and Hubcap was just as interesting. For starters, both Brawn and Windcharger were on board the Ark when it crashed on the Earth millions of years ago. Because of this fact, they were held in higher regard than all but a few Autobots, as they've been fighting for good on the small blue planet since the beginning. Brawn, a demolition expert, is one of the strongest members of the Autobot ranks. He can lift around 190,000 pounds with little effort, explaining his ease in lifting the shuttlecraft earlier in the day.

Windcharger, a loyal Autobot warrior, has tremendous strength as well, although in a different manner than Brawn. Whereas the latter uses his arms, and in most cases- his fists, Windcharger's gift comes from his use of powerful magnetic forces. His magnetic fields, which are channeled through his hands, can lift a 10-ton object up to 700 feet in the air. He can attract, repel, or even destroy an object using his power; the drawback is use of his magnetic ability heavily drains his energy supply. On the flip side, despite having above-average intelligence, Windcharger is also the first Autobot clinically diagnosed as being bipolar. He'll go from all-out excitement to a state of full-blown depression in a span of mere minutes.

And then there's Hubcap. His primary role was in the communications field, but that was a duty he allowed Blaster to perform mostly on his own. On the surface Hubcap was a dedicated and friendly member of the Autobot ranks. He often spoke passionately about the Autobot cause, and was quick to drop compliments to anyone within earshot.

But at his core, Hubcap was actually a con artist, looking out primarily for himself. As far as the big picture went, he did as little as possible while reaping maximum benefits. Hubcap wasn't a coward, nor was he afraid of getting his hands dirty, he simply preferred to let others take care of business while he watched from a moderate distance. His greatest fear was that someday the others would realize he didn't actually do any work to help the Autobot's efforts, and be banished from their ranks because of it. In all likelihood, that would never happen, but it kept him alert and aware.

"Oh, it's far more than 'impressive'," Hoist responded to Powerglide. "It's beyond description, actually. You'll see that for yourselves."

Brawn approached one of the seats and ran his hand along the structure. "Plenty of bells and whistles, eh Hoist?" The others took a similar hands on approach and marveled at the craftsmanship. "So how does it work?"

Hoist invited them all to claim a chair, allowing him to connect the proper devices to their bodies and prepare to run the program. "Once you're properly engaged, I'll start the procedure... feeding the program into your logic centers. Everything you see and hear, everything you experience will seem real to you." It was obvious he was exceptionally proud of the device. "It's a tremendous achievement in engineering."

Tailgate voiced his emerging concern. "Sounds weird to me," he stated. "What if something goes wrong while we're doing this?"

"Nothing's going to go wrong," Hoist calmly replied.

"Right," Tailgate continued. "But what if?"

Hoist shook his head slightly and let out what could be best described as a sigh. "I'll be monitoring your condition from over there," he explained as he pointed to a brightly-lit viewscreen. "The program is also equipped with a safety protocol. Non-lethal weapons, non-aggressive inhabitants; this is the perfect training model. War without casualties."

The six minibots exchanged glances with each other, silently deciding to go ahead with the exercise. Hoist congratulated them on their choice to follow through and quickly finished up the initiation process.

"One last question." This time it was Hubcap that spoke out. "Is there a fail-safe for emergencies? Some type of panic-button command?"

Hoist double checked the halo?s one last time, making sure each one was secure and ready. "Of course," he stated. "All someone has to do is mutter the words, _computer, cease simulation_." He returned to his control panel and drew their attention to a colored dome. "After saying that, it sends a message to the primary circuit, which turns this colored dome into a flashing red light. I see the signal and I terminate the simulation. End program. I then bring you back to the here and now." Hoist had finalized the procedure and started a countdown. "Piece of applet pie."

"Apple," Warpath corrected.

Hoist mentally continued the countdown. "What's that you say?"

"Apple," Warpath repeated, "It's called 'apple pie'."

3...2...1... "Whatever." Hoist watched with keen observation as everything went according to plan. He selected a random program to insert, a mixture of scenery and beings from known encounters and computer-generated images. "It's too bad Wheeljack couldn't be here to witness this," he whispered to himself. "It's marvelous." Admiring the pleasant array of lights and soft sounds escaping the device, he verbalized the ultimate compliment. "Dare I say, it's perfect!"

A loud sizzle was then heard, followed immediately by a small explosion at the control panel. Hoist took several quick steps back, avoiding the flames and possible additional explosions. His optics watched in disbelief as the monitoring viewscreen went blank. "That's not good," he stated dryly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The two teams of three looked around at their surroundings. From appearances, they were on the planet Annex, a planet very similar to Earth with breathtaking scenery. Rolling hills and majestic mountains decorated the virtual landscape. "How original," Brawn stated, somewhat less than impressed. "They put us on a mirror-image of where we came from."

Annex had been discovered nearly 5 million years ago, its finding being attributed to none other than Beta Klax, mentor to the leading Autobot scientist of the day-Perceptor. A highly complex and intelligent civilization had thrived for eons, only to be invaded by a neighboring planet and ravaged. The handful of natives that survived the war fled to various regions of the galaxy. After the war had ended, the invading warriors departed from Annex, having drained all of its resources. The planet remains today, uninhabitable, as a reminder to the violence that stretches across the cosmos. Obviously, the Annex the six minibots now stood upon was a recreation based on the planet's appearance prior to its ultimate fate.

"I'm sure Hoist doesn't want to over-do the effects," Windcharger reasoned. "This is the initial try out of what it can do."

Powerglide noticed Warpath and Tailgate breaking away from the group, and hurried to catch up with them. Hubcap nudged Brawn in the arm, directing him to witness their exit. "And where do you think you're going?" Brawn called out, stopping them dead in their tracks.

"Let's not forget why we're here," Warpath answered. "Not only are we here to test this combat simulator, but we're also here for a little game of 3 on 3." He went on to explain his intention on leading his team to some ruins twenty miles south of their current location. Upon arrival, they would prepare to defend their stronghold against outside forces, namely Brawn and his crew.

"Why do you get to defend?" Brawn barked angrily. "Why don't we occupy the ruins and YOU try to infiltrate?"

Warpath was eager to make their way to the ruins, and was in no mood to argue. He had always preferred action instead of words; it was just his way of being. "Because I thought of it!" he snapped. "We'll trade off. We'll defend in the first game, then you'll defend in the following game." Brawn relented and agreed to give Warpath and his teammates one hour to reach their temporary fortress and ready themselves for combat.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**  
_One Hour Later..._

"Does anyone else feel that these ruins are about a nano-klik away from crumbling?" Tailgate shouted over the explosive sounds of incoming laser fire. "I don't want to be the center of a ruins-sandwich!"

Powerglide acknowledged that he shared the opinion. After missing what he assumed was a direct hit on Hubcap, he turned and addressed Warpath, himself nervously looking around their ancient base and trying to assess its structural integrity. "This is pointless," he complained. "I've hit Hubcap dead-on at least a dozen times and he keeps shooting back! And these ruins are about four massive hits away from becoming our virtual tomb!"

Warpath knew of what Powerglide was stating, since he had experienced it himself. Moments earlier, he landed a blast on Brawn's torso that should have left the mighty mini-bot lying in a puddle of his own fuel. No matter how hard he tried to ignore it, the entire exercise was proving to be futile. Reluctantly, he signaled for a cease-fire and made his way outside the ruins, to have words with Brawn. "Damn non-lethal safety measures," he muttered to himself. "Big waste of time." Tailgate and Powerglide followed closely behind.

"So, you're finally surrendering!" Brawn joked, letting his trigger-finger rest for the time being. "It's about time."

Warpath was brief and to the point. "No we're not surrendering. We're wasting our time battling each other." He motioned towards Windcharger's firearm. "They're useless."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Hubcap chimed in, grinning wide for all to see. "These weapons put a hurting on those ruins behind us." Brawn was about to explain the situation to his boastful comrade, but Warpath took a more direct route to setting the apparently uninformed Autobot straight. He walked directly in front of Hubcap, stopping his tank barrel inches away from Hubcap's torso, and fired. "Blam!" he shouted in his usual manner.

A panic-stricken Hubcap could only stand there and brace for the coming impact. He switched his optics off, not wanting to see his body reduced to pieces and scattered along the ground. After a couple of seconds, he reactivated his optics with a strong sense of surprise. There was no intense pain, no loud explosion, or a single burning limb. "What?" he asked.

"We can't harm each other," Powerglide stated.

Brawn patted the unnerved Hubcap on his back. "That's what I was going to say." He looked disapprovingly at Warpath, silently scorning his uncalled for, yet very effective demonstration. "Our weapons work on everything else, but not one another."

A loud barrage of explosions shook the ground beneath their feet, drawing their attention to a location roughly seven miles to the east. "What was that?" Tailgate wondered aloud.

Brawn and Warpath exchanged quick glances. "Probably the reason we're here," he stated. "Force us to work together and act as an effective team."

"A team of six," Warpath added. Realizing he and Brawn would be unable to settle their differences, short of attempting another fistfight, something he personally no longer found a welcome solution, he started heading off towards the destruction that awaited them. Warpath instinctively took the lead. Brawn noticed the attempt of being sole commander and caught up with him. For the rest of their journey, they walked side by side, as equals.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The six Autobots continued on in the direction of the disturbance. Rolling hills gave way to flat, open spaces, only to then be replaced by a heavily forested stretch of land complete with a quiet stream on one side. The explosions grew more dominant as they approached the other side of the forest. Distinct screams could be clearly heard during the sporadic silences that fell in between the devastation. "There's a clearing overhead," Powerglide observed, noting a gap in an otherwise strangling collection of trees. "I'm going airborne to get a glimpse of what?s happening."

Hubcap sighed. "I don't know why we're being so cautious in our approach. If the weapons aren't lethal, why don't we just rush the joint?"

"Would you rush into an actual combat situation?" Windcharger asked, somewhat sternly. "This is an exercise, Hubcap, to help in actual warfare. This is how we're supposed to do it." He understood Hubcap's reasoning, but he also knew the brashness of its originator.

Hubcap shrugged his shoulders in a defeated manner, then cast a curious look at his teammate. He then looked over at Tailgate with the same expression, going back and forth between the two of them. Tailgate... Windcharger... Tailgate... Windcharger. After several observations, he vocalized his query. "Has anyone ever mentioned how much alike you two look?"

Powerglide returned a few moments later and shared his findings. The others noticed the weary look on his face, and grew uneasy waiting for the report. "It's not pretty," Powerglide said bluntly. "Seems the Predacons have been selected as our virtual opponents, and they're really doing a number on a nearby village." He went on to describe the villagers being targeted, and while doing so was interrupted by a perplexed Brawn.

"Hold it for a second," he stated, raising his hand, his palm facing Powerglide. "Annex never had beings that fit your description." _Could it represent a glitch in the program?_

Powerglide shot a quick glance at Warpath for no particular reason and responded. "I know what I saw," he stated strongly. "Not that it matters," he continued with a somber tone. "There can't be more than a handful left anyway, and those have probably been slain since we've been standing here."

The foursome of Brawn, Windcharger, Warpath and Powerglide began to discuss various plans of action. Tailgate and Hubcap opted not to join in the hectic conversation, leaving the details to be sorted out by those most qualified. They stood in silence as their teammates randomly supported and dismissed countless strategies. It wasn't ignorance that hushed the two minibots, nor was it due to being unconcerned. Indeed, if it was anything, it was due to being overly concerned. They were used to combat situations, so saying they were afraid would be incorrect. Hesitant? Nervous? Absolutely.

The four Autobots that stood mere feet away were used to all forms of warfare and had faced countless adversaries. Tailgate and Hubcap, while capable soldiers, had always been part of rather large battle squads. Three of the four plotting minibots were straight up warriors, and the odd one out-Brawn-was a demolitions expert. Tailgate and Hubcap had supportive functions, scouting and communications respectively. Honorable roles in the Autobot infrastructure. Upon hearing of their soon-to-be opponents, the Predacons, both mini-bots felt a sense of panic race through their circuits. They immediately realized how out of their league they were. All their weaknesses and inexperience stabbed at their sanity. The situation may have been a simulation, but fear cared little about such a distinction. Perhaps they were afraid after all.

Hubcap and Tailgate had good reason to be somewhat terrified. The Predacons, according to many Autobots that had the displeasure of meeting them in combat, refer to them as being the perfect killing machine. All five members of the Predacon combiner team were legendary for their intensity in battle and their sheer brute strength.

Razorlaw, the unit commander, was seemingly perfect when it came to combat. His only fault, if it qualified as such, was sometimes delaying an apparent perfect opportunity to attack for one he deemed more appropriate. Incredibly powerful and even more intelligent, Razorclaw led his followers into a fight expecting full and complete victory. In robot mode, he preferred to use a vibrating sonic sword that destroyed the molecular bonds of any metal it cut. Befittingly, his alt-mode was that of a lion, a creature the humans called "the king of beasts".

Divebomb, an aerial assault specialist, gave the Predacons an added advantage as he ruled whatever sky he found himself soaring in. He relishes the moment just prior to attacking an unsuspecting victim. His telescopic optic sensor allowed him to spot diminutive bolt from two miles away, making his aim one of the deadliest among all Transformers. His weapons of choice are a pair of particle beam rifles, which are more than effective in gunning down his enemies. Autobot intelligence did uncover one weakness Divebomb possessed. His anti-gravity mechanisms and internal guidance systems were easily disrupted by magnetism. Divebomb's alt-mode is a hawk. A very intimidating hawk at that.

Headstrong, the rhino, was a ground assault soldier known for being somewhat stubborn. Once his mind is made up, he refuses to change it no matter how foolish his chosen plan of action comes across to bystanders. His self-doubts and misplaced feelings of inadequacy make him more susceptible to verbal attacks rather than physical ones. Despite all his self-created demons, his two plasma sphere shooter rifles more than made him a worthy adversary.

Rampage served as the Predacon's gunner. He embraced a lifestyle of pure action and sought immediate gratification. If it stretched outside the time span of 'immediate', he grew incredibly violent and lashed out at those near him. His actions were deemed immature by his fellow Predacons, but the fury and valor he displayed in battle earned him their respect. Rampage's alt-mode was a tiger.

The fifth and final member of the Predacons was known as Tantrum, the bull. His simple sounding primary function as a fueler hid his more maniacal actual persona. Tantrum is constantly angry, for whatever reason exists. If no reason exists, he's angry anyway. He is perhaps the most intensely miserable being ever to wear a Decepticon insignia, and his reputation for being a vile harbinger of destruction is known throughout the galaxy. Due to anger being the only emotion capable of being displayed on his part, his fellow teammates constructed a scale to classify his levels of anger. On a good day, his rage is nearly uncontrollable. On a bad day, someones going to die.

The threat that the six mini-bots were preparing to tackle didn't stop with the five members of the Predacons. An even bigger and more deadly obstacle was found in their combined form, when the five separate beings merged into one super warrior known as Predaking. His arsenal included, but was not limited to, an energo-sword and a x-ray laser cannon. He could also generate an electric force field that protected him from energy attacks. Aside from a sustained use of his force field, which strained his energy supply, Predaking had no known weaknesses. In other words, he was unstoppable.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"All right, listen up!" Brawn announced, giving the impression a suitable plan of attack had been devised. "Here's what we're going to do." Before any more words escaped his mouth, Warpath tilted his head to one side and motioned for complete silence. What they heard troubled them deeply. What they heard was total silence. "The explosions stopped," Brawn whispered. Suddenly, each member of the mini-bot squad felt a surge of energy race through their bodies. "Primus, no," Brawn gasped. In an instant, they realized that while planning out their next move, the Predacons had somehow detected their presence and had no doubt surrounded them, waiting for the proper time to move in and slaughter them. "We're in trouble," Brawn finished, joining the others in surveying their perimeter and hoping to catch a glimpse of where their enemies were hiding. Simulation or not, the tension among the Autobots could not be ignored.

Hubcap fought hard to control his rising level of fear. He thought back on the words Hoist spoke prior to starting the exercise, _"I'll be monitoring your condition...the program is equipped with a safety protocol...non-lethal weapons...non-aggressive inhabitants...this is the perfect training model...war without casualties."_He also recalled how their own weapons wouldn't work on each other, and so it stood to reason that no weapons would work on them. Figuring this to be a perfect time to show his teammates he deserved to be among the Autobot ranks, he stepped away from the others and began to taunt the Predacons in an attempt to jump-start the impending battle.

"What are you waiting for?" he shouted, immediately drawing concerned looks from his fellow mini-bots. "I'm right here! Are you afraid of a communications officer?" He peered long into the shadows, finding nothing. He prayed that he was right, prayed that the Predacons couldn't harm him. "You're a disgrace to the Decepticon Empire!"

Windcharger stormed over and stared angrily at Hubcap. "What are you doing?" he demanded. "Did you forget what I said earlier? Treat this as a real combat situation!" His patience concerning Hubcap had apparently run out.

Brawn approached them and made his own verbal contribution as the others continued to be on alert and ready for whatever carnage the Predacons were about to unleash. "You seem to be having a problem listing to orders," he stated as he pointed a finger only inches away from the face of Hubcap. It was becoming obvious that Hubcap's attempt to impress his peers had failed miserably. Brawn didn't get the chance to finish whatever else he planned to say. The Predacons finally emerged from the shadows they were hiding within. With his back turned to the surrounding area while addressing Hubcap, Brawn made for an easy target. The Predacons were a dominating force, and a highly intelligent squad. Attacking Brawn first was the perfect choice. He was unprepared and he was the strongest Autobot present; and his defeat would rob the Autobots of their muscle. The ordeal would also surely unnerve the others and cause panic within their circle.

"Brawn!" Warpath roared, unable to halt the violent attack of Rampage. His optics watched frantically as Brawn's left are was ripped from his body. Sparks shot out from the damage done, sending Brawn into a dazed frenzy brought on by the severe pain he was experiencing. Warpath listened to the very real screams escaping Brawn's mouth and realized something wasn't right. He noticed the other Predacons were allowing Brawn's condition to weaken the rest of the minibots mentally, no doubt waiting yet again for the 'perfect' time to strike next. Hubcap stood motionless, blaming himself for causing Brawn's situation. Tailgate was stricken with immense terror, feeling the optics of Tantrum and Headstrong locking onto his position. Powerglide and Windcharger were more composed, each gripping their respective firearms and ready to respond. "Computer, cease simulation!" Warpath was predictably shocked as the situation continued to play out without any change. He was certain he used the correct term to shut the program down. "Computer," he repeated, much louder than the previous attempt. He noticed an evil smile emerge on Predacon commander Razorclaw's faceplate. "Cease simulation!"

An eerie silence fell upon the gathered Transformers. No longer did the screams from Brawn fill the air. His body had gone into a full-system shutdown, the equalivent of a human falling into shock. Powerglide cast a solemn glance at Warpath, realizing that for whatever reasons, the simulation could not be ended.

What was happening had proven to be far too real, with no escape foreseeable. "Autobots," Warpath ordered, fighting hard to retain his composure. "Return fire!"

The events that transpired next seemed to last an eternity, when in reality they only spanned a mere few moments. Hearing Warpath's battle cry, Razorclaw followed suit and motioned for his warriors to commence their attack. One by one, the Autobots found themselves on the losing end of the confrontation. Despite being lifeless, Rampage proceeded to tear the remaining limbs from Brawn's body. Tailgate was unable to move quickly enough, and found himself in the middle of a stampeding Tantrum and Headstrong. His body was crushed by the enormous force of the combined impact, and he slumped to the ground a defeated and broken soldier.

Powerglide took to the air in an attempt to lure Divebomb away from the ground battle. His motive served a dual purpose- decrease the number of Predacons on land, even if only by one, and delay the merger into Predaking. However noble Powerglide's actions were, he would not prevail. His short-range thermal cannon, mounted below the cockpit in airplane mode, did little damage to his opponent. Divebomb's impressive firepower and aggressive flying techniques were too great an obstacle for Powerglide to overcome. He crashed to the ground, his body erupting in flames upon impact, ironically landing only a few feet away from both Brawn's and Tailgate's heaped bodies.

Warpath had surprisingly been able to hold his own against the Predacon commander, Razorclaw. He was soon out-numbered, however, and was on the receiving end of a vicious beat-down. With all the attention on Warpath, Windcharger was left alone to focus his magnetic abilities on the still-airborne Divebomb. Divebomb's anti-gravity mechanisms failed as a result of Windcharger's attack, and he literally fell from the sky.

The slight victory went uncelebrated, as nobody was left to appreciate Windcharger's actions. Warpath had been over-powered and when Windcharger looked in his direction, what he saw no longer resembled the friend he once knew. Oil stained the ground Warpath once stood on, and chunks of his armor littered the scene of the crime. The sole-remaining Autobot stood greatly outnumbered and knew he was next to fall. In bringing down Divebomb, he spent a massive amount of energy and his magnetic abilities were no longer an option. The powerless veteran could only watch as Divebomb rejoined his comrades and then combined into the walking nightmare known as Predaking.

Windcharger was short on possibilities. His energy level was near depletion. His firearm was useless against the seemingly invincible giant. Running away was never even considered. He instead stood tall and proud, preserving not only his own dignity but also that of his fallen brothers as well. In the scant few seconds prior to Predaking taking him off-line, he tried to make sense of all that had happened. How did a training simulation end up so tragically wrong? Is it even a simulation anymore, a simple computer program gone awry? Or has it somehow become an actuality, some form of a sick and twisted reality from which there was no exit? No more questions would be pondered. The blazing fury of Predaking's energo-sword sliced through Windchargers's defiant body, claiming the ultimate victory. Darkness engulfed the landscape.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Windcharger awoke surrounded by sporadic blips and a constant, gentle hum of machinery; his optics looking up at the ceiling inside Ratchet's medical bay. The chief medical officer was surprisingly absent, but Windcharger was pleased to find Hoist keeping watch over him. "You've come back to us," Hoist cheered, casting an apologetic look on his recovering friend. "I am so very sorry for what happened."

Windcharger was in severe pain, his body weak and his head pounding with a remorseless rhythm. He cautiously turned his head left to right, searching for the other minibots who-in his memory-only moments earlier had fallen prey to Predaking. "Where are the others?" His words were forced and whispered.

"Most came back online about three weeks ago," Hoist answered, checking Windcharger's stats at the same time. "Hubcap remained in stasis lock a little longer, finally rejoining the living four days ago." Hoist could tell Windcharger had questions he wanted to ask, but lacked the ability to voice them properly. "Moments after the simulation started," he explained, assuming Windcharger would've asked what went wrong if he were able to, "The Ark experienced a ship-wide power surge, followed by a complete systems failure."

Through Hoist's briefing, Windcharger learned that it took two days to restore power to the Ark. When Hoist removed the minibots from the simulation equipment, he found them all to be off-line. Each had suffered severe internal damage, and their self-diagnostic systems had been contaminated. Ratchet had done all he could do, and luckily it proved to be enough. One by one they snapped out of their motionless state and returned to their old selves.

"They were all pretty reluctant in sharing their experiences," Hoist continued, pleased with Windcharger's slowly, yet consistently improving condition. "Probably didn't have much to say," he reasoned. "I'm sure with the systems shutdown, the simulation was likely a rather unbelievable exercise."

Windcharger noticed Hubcap and Powerglide looking at him from just outside the medical bay entrance. He managed to give them a feeble thumbs-up gesture, sending them on their way with a smile. "Sadly," he muttered, "It was actually quite authentic."

**EPILOGUE**

Wheeljack stood outside Optimus Prime's quarters, politely waiting for permission to enter. Upon receiving it, he walked over to where Prime as seated and placed a holographic display module in front of him. Turning the device on, he watched with great pride as Optimus took note of the images displayed in a sequenced manner. "What do you think?"

The Autobot commander marveled at the detailed drawings and schematics Wheeljack presented. "Perfect, old friend," he complimented. "Tremendous job."

"Well," Wheeljack admitted, "I had my doubts." He switched the device off and pulled up a chair of his own, sitting attentively on the other side of the desk. "When you had me join you on your little 'mission', I wasn't too thrilled to find out the rest of the Autobots had been left in the dark."

Optimus was quick to interject his reasoning. "I see no need to spread false hope or expectations. Not until I was sure we could find a suitable location." Prime sat straight and proud, looking every bit the powerful leader he was known to be. "The recent power failure of the Ark only proves that the mission was a necessity."

Wheeljack nodded. "Well, that's in the past now." It wasn't his place to question authority, but sometimes he couldn't help himself. He had known Optimus Prime long enough, he assumed, to object to random items from time to time. "When do you plan on making a formal announcement?"

"Soon," Optimus stated. "I apologize for putting you in such an awkward position, Wheeljack. I hope someday you'll understand why I did what I did, that you'll understand sometimes secrecy is merited."

Wheeljack grabbed the holographic display module and prepared to exit the room. "I am thankful you chose me to help seek out a location and trusted me enough to come up with the blueprints."

"I should be thanking you," Optimus responded. "Due to your skillful eye, this project will be brought to life." He bid Wheeljack a fond farewell and leaned back in his seat. "Autobot City," he smiled, "Is about to become a reality."

**The end.**


End file.
